Turned up at a house today: the guy wants it rewired: The supply is an old overhead: two separate cables, but there's a hole in the neutral side of the cutout and an earth going to the existing (old , battered), fuseboard. There's no PME markings, I'm guessing just an earth attached to the neutral. but there's no way of actually knowing for sure. I rang the DNO, expecting them to confirm its TT and send one of their engineers to remove the earth, but was told " we don't know what type of supply it is: its up to you to decide, and tell us" . Thing is somebody has taken the cutout apart and done this, either the DNO, or some wiseguy? I talked to the customer about using earth rods, but what about this "earth"? Its coming out of the cutout, who's to say it can't or won't be used in future? How do I know its not been declared kosher by the supplier and i'm not just doing a load of additional work at the customers cost? I can isolate the earth into a box and put rods in but, solid floors and small concreted yard, it's not going to be simple or cheap, and i'm worried someone will come along and say its unnecessary and I've wasted the clients money. Go easy on me guys, done all my work in a big town for 15 years only ever worked on TNS and the odd PME. Now I'm out in the sticks, banging earth rods in and all, but this is a first for me.in (In the picture I've tried to attach it's the small white cable its a painted 6mm insulated green and yellow.) Any thoughts? I did wonder about ringing up and telling them its unsafe, see if I can get someone out.
Presumably the metering services guy put the tape around the suppliers fuse and attached the warning label, I would email the photo to the DNO and ask them to inspect it and pass it as safe or replace it.
You may not get a favourable reply, but I’d still ask.
Even if the DNO confirms that the earth connection to their cable is acceptable it is still the customers responsibility to have an electrician test it to confirm it is going to provide an acceptable earth connection, their earth connections are provided untested.
However the rewire property requires a 16 mm main earth conductor and you cannot access the terminal in that particular fitting. A new suppliers cutout and fuse with a accessible earth terminal would solve several issues.
It is a shame the metering services guy put the isolation switch after the Henly block splitting the tails as it only isolates one of the consumer units.
Is the installation actually be safe with a TNCS earth? What type of property is it? Is it a domestic installation? What is the floor like? Is it a concrete floor over a polythene damp proof membrane or is it quarry tiles laid on sand and soil?
Andy Betteridge
I was typing this whilst Alan was posting, do as he and Paul says, tell them the customer needs to have the earthing arrangement confirmed and raise concerns about the safety of their equipment.
Presumably the metering services guy put the tape around the suppliers fuse and attached the warning label, I would email the photo to the DNO and ask them to inspect it and pass it as safe or replace it.
You may not get a favourable reply, but I’d still ask.
Even if the DNO confirms that the earth connection to their cable is acceptable it is still the customers responsibility to have an electrician test it to confirm it is going to provide an acceptable earth connection, their earth connections are provided untested.
However the rewire property requires a 16 mm main earth conductor and you cannot access the terminal in that particular fitting. A new suppliers cutout and fuse with a accessible earth terminal would solve several issues.
It is a shame the metering services guy put the isolation switch after the Henly block splitting the tails as it only isolates one of the consumer units.
Is the installation actually be safe with a TNCS earth? What type of property is it? Is it a domestic installation? What is the floor like? Is it a concrete floor over a polythene damp proof membrane or is it quarry tiles laid on sand and soil?
Andy Betteridge
I was typing this whilst Alan was posting, do as he and Paul says, tell them the customer needs to have the earthing arrangement confirmed and raise concerns about the safety of their equipment.
